1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

Chailights
MARCH 2015
Rabbi’s Message
Happy Purim
then there is Purim, a celebration whose main
text (Megilat Esther) does not even mention
God!
Hmm….how to
dress on Purim this
year, (Wednesday
evening, March
4th)? Mordecai,
Vashti, a princess?
Or, maybe no costume again this year. After
all, Purim is a children’s holiday.
It seems, when viewed as a whole, that a
progression takes place in this holiday cycle. At
the beginning is Pesach, when God alone
redeems us from slavery. Gradually God’s role
is diminished and ours is increased until it is up
to humanity to bring salvation to the Jewish
people. Specifically, it is courageous Queen
Esther and Mordecai who save the people.
How many times have we all gone through this
same thought sequence? Purim sneaks up on
us each year in the late winter before we have
had adequate time to properly plan “The”
costume that will be the hit of the party. Then,
we justify our non-participation by passing the
holiday off as a kid’s event which we are just
supposed to chaperone.
So why is Purim an adult holiday? Because it
teaches a lesson that even as adults we must
continually relearn. The future is in our hands.
It is up to each of us to stand up for justice and
make a difference in our society. Although at
times we may feel like such a task is
overwhelming, we have abundant opportunities
to fulfill this important message of Purim and
teach it to our children. Best of all, when we
pave the way for a better tomorrow, we do not
simply get to wear the costumes of Esther and
Mordecai, we get to be Jewish heroes in our
own right.
Nothing, however, could be further from the
truth. Purim is filled with costumes, games, and
all kinds of food and fanfare, but it is legitimately
a holiday for adults as well. To understand the
holiday in adult terms, it is helpful to refer to the
holiday cycle of our Jewish calendar.
According to the Torah, Passover falls in the
first month of the year (remember there are 4
different new years in the Jewish calendar) and
can be considered our first holiday. During this
celebration, we commemorate the event of God
bringing the Israelite people out of slavery and
into freedom. This is followed seven weeks
later by the festival of Shavuot, when God,
through Moses, gives the Torah to our
wandering people. In the Fall, we observe
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, a time for us
to ensure a place in the Book of Life through the
process of teshuvah. Chanukah is then just
around the corner, and for eight nights we
celebrate the victory of the Hasmoneans (with
the help of God) and the miracle of the oil. And
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Ted Riter
Welcome
to our new
Temple Administrator
We are thrilled to announce
the selection of our new
Temple Administrator, Rita
Hobgood. Many of us
already know Rita from her
years of volunteering with
our annual Bazaar and her association with
many BIC families.
(continued on Page 6)
From the President...
Can you believe the Bazaar is here?
At the same time, we are coming to the end of the 2nd book of the Torah, the
book of Exodus, or Shemot. The anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah is this month,
on March 21, Shabbat Hachodesh. In 1969, the Torah portions for this Shabbat
were, Vayakhel and Pekudei. The story of Vayakhel and Pekudei begins with
Moses assembling the people of Israel and reiterating how important it is to observe Shabbat. They then convey God’s instruction regarding the making of the
Howard T. Katz
tabernacle. The people donate the required materials in abundance, bringing
gold, silver and copper, blue, purple and red dyed wool, goat hair, spun linen,
animal skins, wood, olive oil, herbs, and precious stones. Moses has to tell them to stop giving.
After the tabernacle is complete, a cloud appears above it, signifying the Divine presence that has
come to dwell in it.
Here we are, over 3500 years later, at Beth Israel, in Jackson, MS. Our temple is full of precious
metals, dyed wools, beautiful wood, and wonderful people. Our annual bazaar is here. Don’t stop
giving. Give to the silent auction. Give your time to collect items for the silent auction. Give your
time to help cook. Give your time to help set-up and clean-up. Appreciate the abundance of wonderful things that we have as Jewish people in the deep south of the United States. It is a great time
to be Jewish. It is a great place to be Jewish. Demonstrate your love for Judaism, your love for our
Jewish congregation, and your appreciation for the freedom we have to live a Jewish life. Donate
the required materials in abundance. Donate your time in abundance. Bo, come with me, and I will
tell you when it is time to stop giving.
Happy March!
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Howard Katz
Let Me Go,
Let Me Go
(Let It Go)
Stephen & Jeanne Rozman
Dave & Molly Mandel
Sam & Laura Ginsberg
Frozen Purim Spiel
BETH ISRAEL OFFICE HOURS
Come celebrate Purim with:
Esther (Anna), Vashti (Elsa),
Mordechai (Olaf) and the whole cast
of characters.
Wednesday, March 4
7:00 p.m.
Page 2
Mondays: CLOSED
Tuesdays: 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Wednesdays: 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Thursdays: 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Fridays: 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Chailights
Education Spotlight
Tot Shabbat
March 13th, 5:30 pm
A fun and active way to greet Shabbat.
For children (newborn-7 years old)
with caregivers and siblings.
RSVP to debra@bethisraelms.org by March 11th.
IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DATES
Bagel Bunch
March 1, 11:00 am
This month’s Bagel Bunch combines forces
with the Purim Carnival!
We’ll gather first for a story and a craft,
then join in the costume parade & all the fun.
For children not yet enrolled in
Sunday School, with caregivers.
Questions and rsvp to
ericaabeles@gmail.com
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL DATES: MARCH 1, 22
HEBREW
SCHOOL
DATES: MARCH 4, 18, 25
FAMILY LEARNING DAY AND PURIM CARNIVAL
MARCH 1, 9:30 AM—1:30 PM
GRADE 1-2 PARENTS: FAMILY EDUCATION DAY IS
MARCH 29TH, 9:30-NOON. STUDENTS SHOULD ATTEND WITH A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, OR ANY OTHER IMPORTANT ADULT IN THEIR LIVES. RSVP TO
RABBI KASSOFF AT DEBRA@BETHISRAELMS.ORG OR
601.956.6215 BY MARCH 24TH
JUNIOR YOUTH GROUP
JYG annual Kallah March 27-29, 2015
at Jacobs Camp.
Registration opens mid-February
for all 6th-8th graders.
Contact Rabbi Kassoff for more information
debra@bethisraelms.org
Registration for Jacobs Camp
Summer 2015 Is Now OPEN!
PRESCHOOL—SAVE THE DATE
June 29 - Leaps & Bounds with Ms. Kelly
Computer Explorers
July 6 -
Soccer Tots
July 13 - TBC
July 20 - Computer Explorers
Jacobs.urjcamps.org/register
Beth Israel Religious School
is Now Accepting
Box Tops for Education
July 17 - TBC
8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Cost - $145.00 Per Week
Chalights
Clip your box tops and place them in the box
outside the Beth Israel office
or in the box on the table in the foyer.
Page 3
Sisterhood Spotlight:
A Message from the Sisterhood Co-Presidents
It’s hard to believe that March is here already. Everyone has
been busy with preparations for our upcoming Beth Israel Bazaar
on March 25th. We have a few cooking dates ahead and we are
still receiving home cooked meals and baked goods. Thank you
to all who have dedicated their time and effort to help make this a
successful event.
We would like to thank Rebecca Laskin for chairing the Matzah
ball cooking date, Betsy Samuels for chairing the Kugel preparation, Beth Orlansky for chairing the Tzimmes, and Charna
Schlakman for chairing the cooking of the stuffed cabbage.
Susan Fijman is working diligently to get in silent auction items
and you can bring your contributions to the gift shop before
Shabbat services or during Sunday school. If you have items
and need us to pick them up, please contact Susan, Mindy or
Cheryl and we will be glad to help. We are receiving items for
the white elephant sale. If you have items, please contact Paula
Erlich or Charna Schlakman to make arrangements to drop them
off. If you have not already volunteered for a particular booth or
task the day of the Bazaar and want to participate, please contact
Mindy Humphrey and let her know.
Beth Israel Sisterhood
April Luncheon!
Please join us on
April 15th!
Beth Israel Sisterhood
will hold our
April General Meeting at
Biaggis in Ridgeland.
Our April meeting will
include a social service event
for
Blair E. Batson Hospital.
We will be collecting new
onesies, blankets, bath towels, wash clothes and burp
clothes.
Time: 11:30-1:00
Cost: $16
Location: Biaggis
Sisterhood continues to grow stronger (we now have 80 members) and we have had many successful and fun events this
year. Please join us in April for our next General meeting/Baby
Shower, where we will help Blair E. Batson families in need with
their newborns.
RSVP! By April 10th
Frankie Springer: 601-383-1209 or
We are always open and looking for fun new events/ideas for our fmspringer5@gmail.com
group. If you have an idea or social action project that you would
like to suggest, please contact Mindy or Cheryl and we will work
with you to make it happen.
Upcoming Events
March 22
March 22
March 24
March 25
April 4
April 15
Chalights
Baba Ganush cooking for the Bazaar
Bazaar Set Up
Chopped Liver cooking for the Bazaar
Beth Israel Bazaar
Second Seder
Baby Shower Lunch to benefit Blair E. Batson
Chairperson
Lynda Balfour
Cheryl Katz
Charna Schlakman
Frankie Springer
Page 4
Meals on Wheels Needs Your Help
on Our Monday Delivery Routes
If you have an hour or two to spare one day a month,
Sisterhood needs drivers to assist with
delivery of Meals on Wheels.
The recipients profoundly appreciate our work.
It is truly a mitzvah and it is open to the
entire congregation, not just Sisterhood members.
The routes are local Jackson areas (e.g., Fondren &
Belhaven), and we’ve mapped them out
to be easily manageable.
We suggest two person teams working together
(a drive and an assistant) on each route.
BITY Buzz:
March 1—
Purim Carnival and the Return of the
BITY Auction!! Festivities begin at
11:30 a.m. after Religious School
family program.
MARCH 21—
PARENTS: Mark Your Calendars!!
PARENTS NIGHT OUT from
5:30-10:30 p.m.
A night of fun for kids age 6 months10 years while parents enjoy some
grownup time. $25 for first child, $40
flat rate for two or more siblings.
To volunteer, please contact
Charna Schlakman at charna515@aol.com
Start cleaning out
your closets and drawers.
It's time for
White Elephant Treasures.
You may bring them to Beth Israel on
Sunday, March 22nd from 9:30 a.m.– 1:00 p.m.
Monday, March 23 from 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
.
If you have any special concerns that you need
help with your items, kindly contact:
Charna at Charna515@aol.com
Page 5
Are you looking for a way
to give something back to
our community?
Please help our
Jackson FOOD PANTRY.
Volunteers are needed from
Beth Israel Congregation
March 2-6, 2015
June 29-July 3, 2015
September 14-18, 2015
December 14-18, 2015
If you can volunteer, please contact:
Beth Orlansky at bethorlansky@gmail.com
Chailights
March Birthdays
1
2
2
2
3
6
6
8
8
8
10
10
10
11
12
15
16
17
17
18
19
19
19
20
20
21
22
22
22
23
24
24
28
30
Maxwell Erlich
Andrew Paul
Michael Ivshin
Jay Davidson
James Freedman
Bea Gotthelf
Richard Miller
Kathryn Wiener
Howard Katz
Elizabeth McGregor
Amanda Margolis
Lauren Rosenbaum Brown
Stephen Briggs
Dylan Klingler
Alexandra Schneider
Kay Pollack
Amy Burleson
Molly Mandel
Richard Stamm
Avery Cohen
Gary Eriksen
Morgan Pollack
Christine Branson
Myer Mack
Laurie Neidorf
Joshua Wiener
Francine Sherwood
Ralph Daniel, III
Michael Lehman
Tovah Rubinsky
Penny Brown
Annie Jacobson
Jacob Fijman
Michele Schipper
March Anniversaries
2
5
11
22
22
25
26
26
Sidney and Michelle Mack
Rusty and Kimberly Schneider
Michael and Lisa Palmer
Clay and Mindy Humphrey
Dave and Donna Kaminsky
Art and Joyce Salomon
Roger and Lynne Rosenfield
Gary and Alice Friedman
Page 6
(continued from Page 1 — New Temple Administrator)
She began her tenure with us on February 1st
and we already feel blessed to have her on staff.
As we welcome Rita to our staff, we offer our gratitude to our BIC congregant Bill Albright. Bill
jumped in at a crucial moment before the High
Holy Days to fill in for the month. The one month
stretched to six, and we are deeply indebted that
Bill worked tirelessly to keep our office running in
the interim period as we re-thought the position
and conducted our hiring process. We're fortunate
that Bill will continue to volunteer in our front office
when possible.
Rita will oversee the general management of our
office and many synagogue functions, including
volunteer engagement and communications. One
of the things we have learned over the past few
months, is that she will be most effective if we are
able to bring in volunteers daily to answer phones
and the front door, and complete other easily
learned tasks. If you would like to volunteer a few
hours a week on a regular (or irregular) basis,
please contact Rita by phone at BIC or email
her: office@bethisraelms.org.
When you enter the front office, you will also notice a few changes. We have removed the sitting
area from the office and are encouraging congregants to utilize the beautiful foyer space for visiting and catching up with each other. We have also created new forms for donations, address
changes, calendar additions/changes, and room
setups. These forms will soon be online as well.
We are very excited for the changes that we are
making in the synagogue administration and we
welcome your feedback.
When you have an opportunity, please come by
and welcome Rita to our BIC community.
Chailights
EARL HILL INTERFAITH ACADEMY
March 10 – April 21, 2015
Earl Hill Interfaith Academy, a Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue Education
Program, is a collaborative initiative to foster interfaith understanding and
friendship in the Jackson community. Through open and honest discussion,
we hope to eliminate or reduce false stereotypes, prejudices, and fears. Each
session will include dinner, presentations, and dialogue.
All sessions are on Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. at the locations listed:
March 10, at Northside Baptist Church: Basic Beliefs
March 17, at Northside Baptist Church: The Role of Scripture
March 24, at Dialogue Institute Mississippi: The Binding of Isaac/Ishmael
April 7, at Beth Israel Congregation: Jerusalem
April 14, at Beth Israel Congregation: Fundamentalism & Religious extremism
April 21, at Dialogue Institute Mississippi: Tzedakah, Charity, Sadaka
To reserve your space or if you have questions, please contact Rabbi Kassoff: debra@bethisraelms.org
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WE APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THOSE WHO SUPPORT BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION
GENERAL FUND
MEMBERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND
TIKKUN OLAM FUND
ENDOWMENT FUND
ONEG FUND
LIBRARY/PRAYER BOOK FUND WEBSITE FUND
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND SATURDAY MORNING FUND
MUSIC FUND
CEMETERY FUND
CARING FUND (SISTERHOOD)
PROGRAM FUND
JEWISH CINEMA MISSISSIPPI
ART FUND
GENERAL FUND
IN HONOR OF BETH ISRAEL: Alan Kohn
IN MEMORY OF MIRIAM KOLODNEY: Kathryn Wiener
IN MEMORY OF MOLLY HARBOR: Mindy and Clay Humphrey,
Joann Eisenstatt
IN HONOR OF JACKSON HABER’S BAR MITZVAH:
Marilyn and Lanny Greenberg
IN MEMORY OF GERTRUDE GARSHMAN: Amy and Arty Finkelberg,
Anonymous
IN HONOR OF BILL ALBRIGHT: Amy and Arty Finkelberg
IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS LARKIN: Joann Eisenstatt
IN MEMORY OF IRA RUBIN: Rachel and Kenneth Browner
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
IN MEMORY OF MOLLY HARBOR: Kathryn Wiener,
Marcia and Robbie Barron
IN MEMORY OF MARK HEARON: Kathryn Wiener
SATURDAY MORNING FUND
IN HONOR OF BETH ISRAEL: Chloe Edwards, Raizy Grossman
IN HONOR OF GINO GIAMMARCO: Institute of Southern Jewish Life
IN MEMORY OF IRA RUBIN: Helen Greenberg, Joann Eisenstatt
Page 7
MUSIC FUND
IN MEMORY OF IRA RUBIN: Kathryn Wiener
TIKKUN OLAM FUND
IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS LARKIN: Kathryn Wiener
CEMETERY FUND
IN MEMORY OF BERTHA HELEN GEIGER: Mindy and Clay Humphrey
IN MEMORY OF MARSHALL NIRENBERG: Mindy and Clay Humphrey
IN MEMORY OF TOM UNDERWOOD: Mindy and Clay Humphrey
IN MEMORY OF CLEVELAND BRANSON: Jerry Branson
IN MEMORY OF ELEANOR BRANSON: Jerry Branson
IN MEMORY OF CECILLE SHORNICK: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF LEO P. GRADINGER: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF JULIAN WIENER: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF THELMA MITCHELL: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF ABBY HESDORFFER: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF LEE GOTTHELF: Lynn Crystal
IN MEMORY OF MOLLY HARBOR: Lynn Crystal
*Donations made after the 10th of the month will be recognized in
the next month’s Chai Lights.
Chailights
Non-Profit Org
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit #123
JACKSON, MS
Located at 5315 Old Canton Road
Jackson, MS 39211
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13249
Jackson, MS 39236
Phone: 601-956-6215
Fax: 601-952-0895
E-mail: office@bethisraelms.org
bethisraelms.org
We Remember — Yahrzeits for March 2015
March 1-7
Eda Newhouse
Edward Schur
Ervin Golod
John Hart Lewis
Adeline Fish
H. Harry Fish
Denise Elfassy Hamou
Phillip Eisenstatt
Isaac Mykoff
Giglio Giammarco
*Eugene Hesdorffer, Sr.
Georgia Lawson
*Shelda K. Binder
Henrietta Luxenberg
Sheli Hoffberg
*Memorial Alcove Plaque
March 8-14
*Moses A. Berman
H. Van Eaton Hart
Alvin Hoffberg
Sue Hailey
Madeleine Bluestein
Ann Silberman
Normarine Barron
Mose Goodman
*Evelyn Goodman
Sol Hoffman
Dorothy Lasky
Pearl W. Davidson
Rebecca Salomon
Ella Sollek
Steven Michael Sherwood
March 15-21
*Oscar Larkin
Laura Bregman
Isabella Greenberg
Julius Greenberg
*Fannie Crystal
Alfred Rosenbaum
Marion Fleischman
Jack Jacobson
*Lorrayne Gavant
Rose Eisenstatt
Martha Dennis
March 22-28
Rose Friedman
*Helen Jill Gavant
O. G. Hailey
Samuil Gorelik
*Eugene Hesdorffer
*Alvin Binder
Herman Kreisman
Ida Ratner